Statistics

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Eastern Connecticut State started strong in Saturday's Cave Classic consolation game at Bridgewater State, leading 17-8 at the end of the first quarter and later holding on for a 61-50 victory over the University of New England women's basketball team.
 
Eastern Connecticut's Taylor Salato and UNE's Faye Veilleux were both named to the all-tournament team after Salato poured in a game-high 22 points and Veilleux nearly matched her with 21. Saturday's game marked Veilleux's second 20-point performance of the season and she came up one rebound shy of her second double-double.
 
In addition to Salato's 22, Marissa Nudd scored 14 for the Warriors (1-5, 0-0 LEC). Three from Eastern Connecticut, including Salato, grabbed double-digit rebounds. UNE's closest scorers to Veilleux were Sydney Jenisch and Ella Karavanic, who pitched in with six apiece.
 
After trailing by as many as 16 in the first half, UNE climbed within four during the fourth quarter, but was unable to complete the comeback.
 
The Nor'easters, who connected on just two of their 14 attempts from downtown, shot worse than 30 percent from the field, but turned the ball over only 13 times to the Warriors' 21.
 
A 10-0 Eastern Connecticut run during the first quarter had the Warriors on top early, 13-4. With the Nor'easters trailing by 11 (17-6) in the final minute of the first quarter, a Rachel Rooney bucket helped UNE salvage a single-digit deficit entering the second.
 
After facing a 16-point deficit in the second quarter, the Nor'easters were within seven at halftime (28-21) after Jenisch capped off a 6-0 run with a pair of free throws. Jenisch scored the first points of the third quarter, pulling her team within five, but the Warriors would soon hike their lead back to double digits.
 
Still hanging around in the fourth, Veilleux drained a 3-pointer at the 6:44 mark to cut Eastern Connecticut's lead to 45-41, but Nevaeh Clark had the answer on the other end with a triple of her own. UNE was unable to pull any closer than six for the remainder of the game.
 
The Nor'easters are back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 26, hosting Colby at 5 p.m.